Resilient attachment for bicycles



L. WOLFF.

RESILIENT ATTACHMENT FOR BICYCLES.

APPLlcAHoN FILED nac. 2. 192|.

M432', 3?@ Patented Oct. 17, w22.

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LOUIS WOLFF, OF NIEW-YORK, N. Y.

RESILIENT .ATTACHMENT FCR BICYCLES.

Application filed December 2, 1921. Serial No. 519,351.

i To `all whomz'r may concern:

Be it known thaty I, Louis VVOLFF, citizen of the United States,residing at New York, inv the county of New York and State of `New York,have invented certain new and useful` lmprovementsin ResilientJit'tachments for Bicycles, of which the following isa specification.

rlhis invention relates generally t bicycles, having more particularreference to the forming of a resilient connection between the frontwheel of the bicycle and the frame.

The invention has for a general object to provide a cushioning meanswhich will *ab- Sorb shocks and prevent them being transmitted t'o thearms and body of the rider.

the frame is resiliently supported ron the:v

ing description and accompanying draw- More specifically speaking theinvention has for. an object to provide a novel and improved connectionbetween the front wheel and they front forks of the bicycle wherebyfront wheel.

, For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the followings, and to theappended claims inv which thevarious novel features of the invention 4.0tional view taken along the line i-#fl of Fig.

are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a side view of a bicycle having the inventionapplied thereto." "Fig 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longi` tudinalelevation, with certain parts in ver` tical section, of my improvedyattachment showing a portion of one of the steering forks connectedthereto.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing thewheel hub and axle end' in elevation.l y

Fig. 4l is a detail transverse vertical' 'sec- 1 but'w-ith the bicyclewheel omitted."

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view showing a modified form ofspring holder provided with means for adjusting the spring.

ln Fig. 1 of the drawings, l have shown` my invention applied asan'attachment to a bicycle of ordinary construction, having` front andrear wheels 10 and 11, a diamond -shapedframe 12, propelling means 13,seat 1e, handle bars 15 and steering forks 16.

As here' embodied my improved attachment comprisesy a verticallydisposed tubular yoke 18v of inverted U-shape which straddlesthe frontwheel 10. Formed on each end `of the yoke 18 is a rearwardly projectingvear 19 which takes over the usual screwthreaded end 20 of the frontaxle, the ear 19 having a perforation through which the axle endprojects freely.

Formed on the outer face of each ear 19, concentric to the axle openingtherein, is a hollow boss 22 which serves as a `fulcrum pin for a shortvertically movable lever 23 engaging said boss between its ends. To holdthe yoke 18 in place on the axle end 20, and the lever 23 in place onthe yoke, a double nutQl is screwed on the threaded axleend and bears onthe end of the boss 22, overlapping the latter at its edges so as toproject across the hub flange 23 of the lever. rlhis nut 24; is formedwith a central exteriorly screw-threaded projection 26 which engages inthe screw-threaded recessin the boss. rl`he nuts 24 may be provided withwings 27 for turning purposes.v

Aswill be understood, there are a pair of theseA levers 23 and they arepivotally connected at their rear ends to the lower ends of the steeringforks 16, preferably in the manner shown in detail in Fig. 3. As thereshown a boss 30 is formed on the end of the lever and projects throughthe usual aper tuife'in-the lower end of the .steering fork, this bosshaving a rigid projecting screw 32 on which a nut 34 andy washer 35 :areplaced, the washer bearing against the end of the bossv130.

,The vfront end of each lever projects, into the lowerend ofI thetubularyoke 18, the latter having a vertical slot such as 38 through which thelever'extends. Located in each leg of the yoke18 isa coiled expansionspring 4;() vwhich bears downwardly on the lever 23, the upper ends ofthe springs bearing against abutmentblocks Ll1 fixed in the legs oftheyoke adjacent the upper end of the latter. The space between the twoblocks 41, which l have shown las empty in Fig. l may be iilled in, orthe yoke might be made from a solid bar having sockets for the springsdrilled in its opposite ends.

The lower ends ofthe springs e()` preferably do not bear directly on theends of the levers 23, each leg of the yoke having a 'head'43 slidabletherein each head i3 having a,- diminished upper portion lll projectinginto the'lower end of the yspring l0 and formed with a helicalperipheral groove inv which the lowermost coils of the spring arereceived. Projecting downwardly from the head 43 is a pair of integrallegs 46 which straddle the ends of the lever 23, a headed pin 47 passingthrough .suitable 'apertures in the lower ends `of these' legs andthrough a short longitudinal slot 48 in the lever, a washer 49 andcotter pin 50 holding the pin 47 in place, The slot 48, as will beunderstood allows the head` 43 to travel in a straight vertical linewhile the f lever end moves in an arcuate path. To hold the yoke 18 inupright position a bracing bar 52 connects the top thereof with thefront of frame 12, this bar having a pivotal connection with the yokeAand frame.

It will be apparent that theJ invention can be applied to any bicycle ofordinary construction, .the steering forks being disengaged from thefront axle and the device mounted on the latter, the steering forks,being then connected'to` the rear ends of levers 23. The parts are soarranged as to cause. the crotch of the steering forks to be raisedslightly when the device is iny place, which in conjunction with therearwardfadjustnient of the forks, allows' the latter sufficient playabove the wheel. Y

l/Vith my improved device shocks due to roughnessl in the roadl areabsorbed and are not transmitted -to the arms and body ofy the rider. i

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the fixedv abutment blocks 41 arereplaced by movable blocks` 55 which are threaded on screwshafts 56projecting downward into the legs of the yoke 18.. "These screw-shaftshave gears 575 thereon which mesh with a central gear`58 carried inthehead of the yoke this'central gearbeing fixed on a stubshaft 59 vhavinga squared end projecting upwardly from the yoke. By applying a suitabletool'to the end of shaft 59 and i'o-v tatingthe latter, the'blocks 55are ladjusted fthe wheel, axle, a pair of levers fulcruined on said yokebetween their ends,said levers being connected to the steering forksat,`

their rear ends, and springsin the legs of said yokes bearing on theyfront ends,- of said levers.` f

Q. In a bicycle, inv combination withv the front wheel and steeringforks thereof, a tubular yoke of inverted U-form having ears v formed onits ends andengaging the wheel axle,hollow bosses formed on saidfearsconcentric to the said. axle, levers fulcr'uinedA ingon said head. i

4 In a bicycle, incombination withf the between their ends to saidhollow bosses and being connected at their rear ends to. the sai'dsteering forks, and springs .in said tubular yoke bearing onjtheopposite ends of said levers. f

3. In a bicycle, in combination with the front wheel and steering forksthereof, a tubular yoke of inverted U-form having ears formed on itsends and engaging the wheel axle, hollow bosses formed onsaid ears concentric to said axle, levers fulcrumed between their ends to ysaidbossesandhaving l their rear ends connected to the said steersY ingforks, the front ends of said levers pro-` jectingthrough slots in saidyoke into the.

lower ends ofV the latter, headsslidable in said yoke' and having slotand pin connecfy.

tions with the said levers, and springs, bearfront wheel and steeringforks thereof, la tubular yoke of inverted U-formhaving ears formedv onits ends and engagingf the wheel axle, hollow bosses formed on said earsconcentric to said axle, levers fulcrumed be.

tweenl their ends to said bosses and having their rear ends connected tothe said steering forks, thefront endsof said leversprojecting through,slots .in said yoke. into. they,

lower ends ofthe latterlheads slidable in said yoke and having slotand'pin connC tions'with the said levers, and springs bea-rv ing onsaid; head, abutment;members`l in said yoke on which the upper ends ofsaid springs bear, and means for 'vertically adjusting said abutment.blocks.

5. vIna bicycle, in combination with the vfront wheel andl steeringforks. thereof, ay

tubular yoke of inverted .U-,forin having ears formed on its ends and,engaging the wheel' axle, hollow bosses Y. formed; yon Msaid' ears,concentric to,V said. axle, levers ful.-

cruined between their. ends toy saidV bosses.y and having their rearends connectedto the said steering forks, the front ends of said `leversprojecting through slots insaid yoke into the lower ends ofthe latter,heads slid;`

able in said yoke and having slot` andxpin connections withthesaidlevers, and springs bearingon said head, abutment, members in said yokeon` whichthe upper ends ofsaid springs bear,and` means. forverticallyadiie justing said abutment bloClS, Said means` l comprisingscrewfshafts. on blocks are threaded. i

6. In a. bicycle, in combination with the front wheelE and steeringforks. thereof,y atu.-

which said,

bular yoke ofinverted U-formhavingems formed on its ends, and engagingthewheel axle, hollow bosses formed on said i ears, confA centricv tosaid axle, leversl fulcrumed be.- tween their ends tof saidA bosses. andhaving their rear ends connectedv tov thesaid steer ing forks, the frontendsof said;lexkfersgfpie jecting Athrough slots in said'y-,Olcintozthe` 413a) lower ends of the latter, heads slidable in comprisingscrew-shafts on which said said yoke and having slot and pinconnecblocks are threaded, a gear Xed on each tions with the saidlevers, and springs bearof said screw-shafts, and a central gear 10 ingon said head, abutment members in said meshing With each of said gears.

yoke on which the upper ends of said In testimony whereof I have aHXedmy springs bear, and means for vertically adsignature.

justing said abutment blocks, said means LOUIS WOLFF.

